1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to artists' implements for storing, mixing and using pigment media and more specifically such implements which provide and maintain optimum characteristics for such media of various types for extended periods of time relative to that available in the prior art.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the years many materials, utensils and other articles have been utilized by artists to store, mix and deliver paint ingredients. Certain materials have been found to be more acceptable than others for particular types of paints. For example, certain materials are preferred with regard to palettes used for mixing paint materials and holding them for application to the surface chosen for the art object, i.e., paper, canvass or the like. For example, when using water color painting media, polymeric, metal, ceramic, porcelain enamel glass and coated materials are among the materials which have been used for palettes. The polymeric and metal palette materials, although easily fabricated and economical, are not wet by water color media suspensions and exhibit extensive puddling and beading behavior. Inorganic materials such as glass, ceramic and porcelain enamel, which exhibit good wetting and spreading characteristics, are generally preferred. In particular, porcelain enamel has been accepted by many professional artists as one of the most suitable palette substrate materials.
Typically, a water color artist places water and desired pigment colors containing suitable water-soluble binders, either in dry or wet form on the palette. The pigment-binder-water suspension is mixed using a brush or other utensil. Each artist has a preferred method for adding pigments and water to achieve the color, translucency and intensity desired. When the final pigment suspension mixture is achieved the suspension is applied to the painting surface (usually an adsorbent paper), typically with a water color brush. The applied pigment suspension will lose water because of paper adsorption and the pigment will be bonded to the paper surface when the resin binder is dried.
The artist using acrylic and egg tempera paints uses similar tools and will manage his pigment color suspensions in a manner similar to water color suspensions. The nature of these media, water-bearing liquid-emulsified binder-pigment suspensions, however is different compared to water color media, water-soluble binder resin-pigment suspensions, and are much more susceptible to drying environments compared to water colors. For example, exposed acrylic emulsions will lose fluid (water) and a skin can form quickly on the exposed surface due to emulsion breakdown. Unlike water color media, acrylic suspensions become unusable when this condition is reached. They cannot be reconstituted because the acrylic polymer chains are interwoven and permanently set. Knowing this, the acrylic artist has developed his painting technique and will limit his acrylic color pigments exposure generally for short periods, about 15-30 minutes. Egg tempera suspensions are even more prone to drying, emulsion breakdown and have shorter painting session life compared to acrylic and water color medias.
One of the vexations that have plagued artists is that the suspension characteristics change more quickly than is desired. This requires the continual attention of the artist including fluid addition, pigment replenishment to the working palette and the like making color matching and painting a tedious and more time consuming task.
One object of the invention is the provision of a palette which exhibits optimum wetting and spreading characteristics. Another object is the provision of such a palette on which fluid-suspension mixtures remain stable for extended periods of time relative to prior art palettes. Yet another object is the provision of a palette which is resistant to surface contamination and is easily cleaned. Another object of the invention is the provision of a palette which can be used with water-bearing pigment media, in particular, water-soluble types such as water color, gouache, ceramic glazes/underglazes, etc. and water-emulsion types such as acrylic, casein, egg tempera, etc.
The problem of changes in suspension characteristics also exists with paint or color pots, small containers which an artist uses to store a working supply of wet pigments prior to delivery to the palette. Conventionally, artists have used impervious materials such as wood, plastic, metal, ceramic, glass jars and other materials for pots to hold their pigment colors. However, the pigment suspension properties vary more quickly than is desired, particularly when exposed to certain environmental conditions such as might be encountered on field trips where exposure to direct sun light, wind and low humidity conditions can occur. Such exposure conditions have an immediate and direct impact on the fluid retention of the pigment suspensions. Depending upon specific environmental conditions encountered, water color pigment systems held in conventional pots will maintain suitable pigment suspension characteristics for about a half hour to three hours. Acrylic emulsion pigments are typically acceptable for ten to thirty minutes while egg tempera mixtures have only a ten to twenty minute life span.
It is an object of the invention to extend these periods of time to more useful periods. Another object of the invention is to provide palettes and paint pots which are adapted for use with water-based systems. Another object is to provide paint pots and working surfaces acceptable for organic solvent-based paint and ink medias. A further object of the invention is to provide working surfaces and pots which can be easily cleaned and reused. Yet another object is the provision of a work box system in which palettes and color pots as well as other artist tools such as paint brushes, water color pigment containers, storage containers and the like can be easily arranged in accordance with various painting activities and requirements.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description.